When Adrianne LaFrance graduates from college in a matter of days, she and her family will celebrate more than her degree in language studies from Roger Williams University in Bristol, R.I.
The graduate of Montville’s public schools has been named a Fulbright scholar and is preparing to continue her studies in Germany this fall. Sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, the Fulbright program is considered one of the most prestigious award programs that provides grants for international educational exchange for scholars, educators, graduate students, and professionals. Fulbright alumni include Nobel and Pulitzer Prize winners, governors and members of Congress, ambassadors and artists, prime ministers and heads of state, university faculty, scientists, CEOs, and Supreme Court justices.
The Fulbright grant, which covers travel and housing expenses, funding for research, and a monthly stipend for one year, will make it possible for Adrianne to live in Germany and work closely with members of the University of Leipzig classics and anthropology faculty. Her proposal, “Resuscitation vs. Recitation: The Effects of Teaching Latin as a Living Language,” will explore how the absence of conversational Latin in a classical studies curriculum affects students’ perceptions of ancient Rome and Roman culture.
“Anthropology is the study of people and cultures,” Adrianne said. “Language anthropology looks at comparisons from the standpoint of culture—how language affects culture and vice versa. I had a lot of different ideas for my proposal, but I really had to go with what I’m passionate about, and this is it.”
The 21-year-old daughter of Joe and Debbie LaFrance of Uncasville, is fluent in French, German, Latin, and Ancient Greek. Her language studies started with French in the sixth grade.
“There’s a lot of research to be done with Latin,” she said. “It’s important in comparative literature, archaeology, and historic preservation. Latin also provides a good basis for people going into medicine, law, or philosophy.”
Adrianne and her parents credit the Montville school system for preparing her well for college and beyond. The family moved to Montville from Groton about 15 years ago, said Joe, based on the reputation of the town’s public school system. He worked for Pfizer Manufacturing in Groton for 25 years before transferring to the research division about 18 months ago. Their 25-year-old son, Brad, also graduated from Montville schools.
“Both of our children grew up through a very good school system in Montville,” Joe said. “The middle school prepared them well. The enrichment program for fourth- through eighth-graders gave them such a broad range of exposure to different ways of thinking and they got to study with older kids who had the same mindset. So when they matriculated to high school, it was much easier for them.”
Adrianne was an active high school student, busy with band, drama, and tennis, with school trips to Washington, D.C., and to Florida for chorus. Both parents also got heavily involved. Joe jokes that he probably chaperoned every school trip his daughter went on, except for a marching band trip to Canada.
“She’s always been very focused on what she wanted to do,” Joe said. “Even when she changed her plans, she had good reason to do that. ”
Adrianne said she has known since high school that she wanted to be a teacher. Going to graduate school and working on a Ph.D. was something she envisioned early on. Although this Fulbright research won’t qualify as her Ph.D. thesis, she is excited with how it will help her move forward with her goals.
“It paves the way to work with the best of the best in this field,” she said. She has been working on her proposal for the better part of two years, submitting it to multiple universities in Germany. She said she found the most receptive faculty in Leipzig.
“Adrianne loves life,” said her mother, Debbie. “She makes friends very quickly. She likes to meet people, to learn. I know she will love Germany.”
Her daughter is also a natural teacher, said Debbie, who completed her high school diploma by earning a GED. She often calls on her daughter to explain things.
“She wants to be a professor as fast as she can,” Debbie said, “and she will make a very good one. She loves teaching. She’s patient—but she’s pushy when she needs to be.”
Adrianne has been tutoring the last three years in college, and did that in high school, too.
Living in Germany and traveling around Europe will be a new adventure. This will be her first trip abroad, not counting that band trip to Canada.
“I’m really excited, but also a little nervous,” admitted Adrianne. “My German is pretty good, but there’s still got to be some culture shock.”
“I had a tough time when she went away to college in Rhode Island, so I’m not really sure about Germany,” said Debbie.
Adrianne plans to spend her summer preparing for the trip and continuing with research she started last summer at RWU, which is ranked by U.S. News and World Report as ninth among comprehensive colleges in the north. She has been assisting a professor in the development of digital Latin lessons for translating literature, helping to write the grammar lesson, and doing some of the computer and sound editing.